Tags: dementia, national gallery of australia, toowoomba regional art gallery

DEMENTIA care specialist Marjorie Crawford hopes residents from her memory support unit will soon be able to enjoy a National Gallery of Australia project in Toowoomba.

She will travel to Canberra with Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery education program co-ordinator Sue Lostroh tomorrow for a seminar on the National Gallery of Australia's Outreach Program.

The program encourages local galleries to facilitate guided tours for people living with dementia.

Mrs Crawford, who is the clinical nurse consultant overseeing Blue Care's Toowoomba memory support unit, said a trial visit to the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery by patients in June was successful.

"It was just amazing to see the conversation it invoked," Mrs Crawford said.

"That's the thing about dementia; it is all about the here and now.

"It is that whole gallery experience that makes it so special."

She said she hoped the specialised tours could become a regular occurrence.

"Hopefully, this seminar is another opportunity to talk about the program and how we can deliver it."

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Art gallery tours a treat for dementia patients